Bozeman Trail

The Bozeman Trail was an overland trail connecting Montana to the Oregon trail. From 1863 to 1868, the Bozeman Trail was at the pinnacle of its importance, as pioneers flowed into Montana during the Gold Rush, and the trail was defended by the US Army at Fort Laramie against the Sioux when Red Cloud and Crazy Horse launched raids on the Americans during Red Cloud's War. From 1868 to 1876, the trail was closed after the United States agreed to a peace treaty with Red Cloud, but the Great Sioux War led to the trail being reopened; it was replaced by Interstate 25 after the National Highway System was established under Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s.